


Celebration of the Innocent

by Eldabe



Series: 30_hath Challenge Fics [3]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen, Marauders' Era
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-04-24
Updated: 2012-04-24
Packaged: 2017-11-04 06:36:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/390865
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eldabe/pseuds/Eldabe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Graduation night at Hogwarts always meant a party.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Celebration of the Innocent

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written for the [30_hath](http://community.livejournal.com/30_hath) challenge-a-day community on Livejournal. 
> 
> More details can be found on my dreamwidth [here](http://eldabe.dreamwidth.org/4828.html).

“I declare this toast,” Sirius Black declared, climbing on the table, “to dear old Godric, without whom none of this would possible!”

A general cheer went up as Sirius downed the goblet. Dumbledore smiled as Sirius jumped down from the table, to make way for a Ravenclaw to sand up on his chair and deliver a slightly more serious toast. But not much more serious. Tonight was the graduation party for the seventh-years.

Tradition dictated that tonight they commandeer the Great Hall until the younger students began arriving for breakfast the next day. Tomorrow would be for sleeping, hurried packing, and last good-byes.

But tonight was for celebration.

Dumbledore entered the Great Hall after a Slytherin gave a particularly spirited toast. It took a few moments for the students to notice the presence of the headmaster, and they began to settle down from their spirited celebrations. There was a moment of awkward silence until someone, probably Sirius Black, began chanting, “speech, speech!” The cheer was immediately adopted by the rest of the crowd, and soon Dumbledore found himself pulled in front of the table by the James Potter and Lily Evans, acting in their capacity as Head Boy and Head Girl.

Dumbledore looked down the table, seeing all of his seventh-years gathered around a single table, house loyalties abandoned in favor of the common bond of graduation. He smiled broadly at the students and began. “Tonight is your second-to-last night in this castle, under the watchful eye of myself and all of your extremely tired teachers.”

Many of the students laughed at that. Their eager eyes reflected at Dumbledore, and he paused afraid for the innocence he saw there. How could he possibly protect them? How could he warn them that even now a past student was gathering followers to dim the light and happiness they still saw in the world? How could he properly equip them for all the trouble that lay in the road for them?

“Hard times will come,” he began uncertainly, and he stopped. There was no way to warn them in a way then would understand. Not tonight. He stopped and turned helplessly to the closest figure, James Potter, who was grinning at him, drunk on happiness. Something in his eyes caused James’s eyes to widen in response, and sober up. James stepped forward, taking the platform from Dumbledore.

“And I’m sure we’re properly prepared for them, Professor,” James said, in a lightly mocking tone, “After all, you’ve taught us everything we know.”

Then James winked, and Dumbledore saw Sirius Black whip out his wand and point across the Hall. Fireworks began ricocheting across the floor, causing shrieks from some girls and laughter from everyone else.

“We thought we’d start with something harmless, more fun will come later,” James promised the crowd, and they cheered.

Dumbledore retreated then, seeing that the party was in good hands. He saw Lily begin to admonish James, and James respond with a kiss. No, tonight was not the night for warnings. Tomorrow night, when everyone would be solemn with the realization that Hogwarts would be over for them forever, then he would try to warn them

For tonight, at least, they would celebrate, heedless of the times to come.


End file.
